This invention relates to monitoring, control, and regulation devices for water and, more particularly, to water temperature and water pressure control gauges for use with domestic shower faucets.
Before an individual begins to take a shower, it is almost always necessary to adjust the pressure and temperature of the water, and while an individual is turning one or two knobs back and forth to achieve the desired water pressure and temperature, both water and time are being wasted. To ameliorate this problem, some faucets are provided with single marks on the knobs, and while a single mark provides some indication of a knob""s position, time and water are still wasted because there is no indicia with which to align the single mark. With the average individual spending from three to five minutes adjusting the water temperature and pressure each day, significant amounts of water and time are wasted.
There is, therefore, provided in the practice of the invention a novel shower faucet gauge, which allows an operator to repeatedly select substantially identical water pressure and temperature to reduce the time required for the operator to adjust a shower faucet to the desired water temperature and pressure. The gauge broadly includes a gauge mark positioned on either a faucet knob or a faucet support surface and a set of gauge indicia positioned on the opposite one of the faucet knob and faucet support surface. The one of the gauge mark and indicia on the faucet knob is movable with the faucet knob, and an operator moves the faucet knob until a selected gauge indicia and the gauge mark are aligned. The selected gauge indicia corresponds to the desired pressure and temperature of the water.
In a preferred embodiment, a stationary set of distinguishable indicia is placed on a ring shaped gauge strip positioned generally around and above the faucet knob, and a rotational set of distinguishable indicia is placed on a gauge cover. In one embodiment, the gauge cover is adhered to the knob, and in another embodiment, the gauge cover comprises a hollow body configured to receive the faucet knob therein. The hollow body gauge cover is preferably made from an elastic material, so that it expands to fit over and grips the faucet knob for rotation therewith. The gauge strip includes a raised perimeter lip which removably mounts the strip on the faucet support surface with suction. For knobs that are turned more than once, a turns indicia is provided to remind an operator of the number of turns of the knob prior to aligning the desired indicia.
It is further contemplated that the described faucet gauge is used in combination with a faucet mounted on a faucet support surface. The faucet includes at least one knob having the two piece gauge applied thereto as described.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved faucet gauge for reducing the time and water wasted in adjusting water to a desired pressure and temperature.